X-Men Vol 1 137
** ** ** ** ** ** ** Supporting Characters: * * * * Antagonists: * ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** * * Other Characters: * * * Kree Supreme Intelligence * Spelled "Rk'lll" in this issue. * Unnamed Shi'ar citizens * Unnamed Skrulls * Unnamed alien attendees * Unnamed Skrull Grand Vizier Locations: * ** *** *** * - Items: * Vehicles: * Lilandra's Shi'ar Flagship * Shi'ar warship - , | Notes = * Uatu the Watcher breaks the "fourth wall" by addressing the comic book readers directly, much as he did in the then-ongoing series "What If..." * Some ancient Shi'ar lore is invoked as Lilandra explains how Phoenix's destruction of D'Bari is interpreted by them as the legendary "Chaos Bringer" of their own mythology. * This was a "double-sized" issue, which at the time was a rarity for non-anniversary issues (usually only a particular milestone issue - say the 100th issue of a series - might be "double-sized", but this issue doesn't coincide with any special anniversary.) * The issue as published was significantly altered from how it was originally drafted. In the original version, the text for the individual X-Men's musings was changed; originally they all fretted over whether they might be killed in the duel. The published version changes the dialogue so that they each reflect on Phoenix's actions and wonder whether they are condoning it by defending her (the published version is in fact a much more poignant sequence.) The final pages, pp. 30 - 35 were entirely rewritten and redrawn. Originally, the X-Men were all defeated and brought back onboard the Shi'ar ship, where Jean is subjected to a device that strips her of all her powers and the X-Men leave with her still alive. * CLAREMONTISM: Scott: "Jean, I love you..." Jean: "And I you, Scott, with all my heart!" * The conclusion of this story was extremely controversial at the time it was published. Then editor-in-chief Jim Shooter explained that he made the call that "Jean" had to die based on her actions in . * Of course, Kurt Busiek would retcon this entire story years later in so that Phoenix and Jean Grey were separate entities and Jean is still alive. Interestingly, while it couldn't possibly have been intentional, Wolverine's thought balloons, in which he describes Jean and Phoenix as separate beings, neatly fits in with this later rewriting. * Wolverine stumbles upon the Watcher's abode. Each panel in this sequence is a homage to when Red Ghost visited the Uatu's home the same way. * The Blue Area of the Moon first appeared in . It will later house the Inhuman's home city Attilan and later still serve as Apocalypse's moon base. | Trivia = * revisits this adventure, depicting an "alternate timeline" in which "Jean" is not killed, but instead subjected to the Shi'ar's device (as the original storyine intended). That story...does not end well! * Marvel published the original version of this issue as a one-shot -- -- with all the original text and artwork. It also included the text of a roundtable discussion in which all those involved in creating this issue discussed the entire Dark Phoenix storyline and how and why it was resolved the way it was. * In the original version of the story, a narration caption relates that the Kree and the Skrull representatives wound up killing each other while the X-Men and Imperial Guard fought. | Recommended = * The fight between the Kree and Skrull warrior continues for several years and climaxes in . | Links = * The Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators - accessed on 06/29/2009 * - See for further referencing * - See for further referencing }}